Blazers' Webster shut down for rest of season and playoffs

Photo by Bruce Ely / The OregonianThe Trail Blazers elected to be cautious with Martell Webster, who signed a four-year, $20 million extension in October.

Martell Webster's season officially came to an end Thursday afternoon, when the Trail Blazers decided to shut down their small forward for the rest of the regular season and playoffs.

Webster, who has missed all but five minutes this season because of a stress fracture in his left foot, vowed last month to return sometime in April and had hoped to provide a late-season spark for the Blazers during their playoff run. Instead, his fourth NBA season will be go down as one to forget.

"Throughout the course of the rehab I worked my tail off to get back out there and to come up short is disappointing," Webster said in a release from the Blazers. "Now I just have to refocus my energy on getting better, getting stronger, and being ready for the start of next season."

Webster, who traveled with the team on its recent four-game trip, was shut down after being examined by team doctors on Thursday. Although the results of the examination did not reveal anything alarming, and in fact showed that his foot continued to heal nicely, the team elected to be cautious with the player who signed a four-year, $20 million extension in October and entered camp as the leading contender to start at small forward.

"This was not an easy decision to make knowing just how hard Martell has worked to get back on the court this season," Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said in the release. "The X-rays show significant progress, but the bone has not completely healed. We feel strongly that an extended period of rest will ensure a full recovery and allow Martell to be ready for fall training camp."

Webster received rave reviews from teammates and coaches for his offseason conditioning, but had his season come to an unexpected halt after the Blazers' first exhibition game on Oct. 7, when he suffered a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal on his left foot. He had surgery to insert screws and did not play again until Dec. 7 at Toronto. But he logged just five minutes in that game before suffering another stress fracture in the same spot and hasn't played since.

Webster had to wear a protective boot until March 3, when he was cleared to resume low-impact activities. During a workout last month, he told The Oregonian that this season had been one of the most challenging of his career but that he remained positive and upbeat about his future. He has been a fixture around the team despite his season-long rehabilitation, even spending time in team meetings and film review sessions.

Webster appeared to be in game-ready shape during the workout, which featured weight lifting, cardiovascular work and shooting, and he said he was eager to return to the court.

Webster, who has not been cleared to run, will continue in the current phase of his rehabilitation, which feature work on a stationary bike and elliptical trainer.